Gestational Diabetes, fed up and emotional

[pickles]

I found out last Friday that I have GD and have been sent home to monitor my blood sugars. They have been all over the place despite my best efforts.

The midwife told me that there is a slight increased risk of stillbirth, and after many fertility treatments over the years and 3 more recent miscarriages, the thought of losing this baby is more than I can bear.

I was sent home with a booklet about the glycemic index, and I've been trying to follow it, but it's more of a suggesions list than a diet plan. So I've looked online and it seems that things on the list the hospital gave me are different to what GI diets for diabetes say. For instance I was told to lay off the fruit, but then I read it's good. The same with milk.

I'm hungry all the time and seriously craving really carby sugary things that I know I can't have.

I'm completley confused and upset, my blood readings ave been higher than they want them to be, and I called the hospital twice yesterday to let them know, but I still haven't heard back. I'm already on Metformin due to PCOS, so I guess my sugars are in bad shape.

I just want to lay down and cry and cry. I want my mum, but she passed away 8 years ago. Hubby is great but he doesn't seem to get the very real fear I have about losing the baby. I can't break down at home as I don't want to upset DS who has also lost 3 siblings due to my MC's. I just this baby out now so I know she's safe and sound.

Sorry for the pity party, I just had to share with someone.

 

[Savannah11]

big hugs

 

[happybeany]

try to stay off the dried fruit, but normal fruit should be fine! You will be fine don't worry xxx

 

[Gemie]

I heard tinned and dried fruit is a no no with diabetes but fresh is fine.

to you sweetie. xx

 

[pickles]

Luckily I hate dried fruit anyway, so it's fresh only for me. But I was told that wasn't good....

 

[happybeany]

That's really random. My mom has diabetes and is always munching through fruit. I know she doesn't eat banana's if they have gone darker yellow because of the sugar in them, but as far as I can tell that's the only thing she avoids xx

 

[Sunseal]

Yeah, all fruit has sugar.. dried fruit and tinned fruit has a ton of sugar in it (this also goes for fruit juice, that's a big no no too). Fresh fruit is okay, but again, there are natural sugars which are good for those who don't need to watch their sugar level, but bad for those who do.
https://www.thefruitpages.com/contents.shtml
There's a really good, comprehensive list of most fruits/vegetables and all the nutritional content x

 

[CelticNiamh]

Hey pickles, I so hear you Ive GD as well but Ive had it now from the start and I'm insulin now, but its been very hard this week, sugars have been really high driving me mad as then I was worried and skipped my snack and went very low and that was scary. but this is my 6th pregnancy my 4th GD pregnancy and my 3rd on insulin all my babies have been healthy when born with only one having a minor issue with low blood sugars when born and he needed a drip for 24 hours to help regulate them.

in normal diabetes you can eat a lot of fruit some you would have to avoid grapes are one, but with GD its very strict and some normal rules do not apply.

What I have done is swap all dairy for low fat, swap all bread pasta rice etc to wholewheat, cut out sugar so no sweet thing ouch!!!

eat plenty of salads, vegetables, I love roasted butternut squash to satisfy my sweet craving yummy I use the spray oil you get as it lower in cals as well.

if I'm making a stryfry I add in some cashew nuts as they are brill for blood sugars and find I can have some noodles with it.

cut out all fried food, chips etc watch your carb intake as our bodies do turn that in to sugar.

its early days in your diet and it is trail and error as to what foods suit or don't its a bit mad as some foods I expect to get a great reading from I go high and others I get a great reading

Please try not to worry to much about the complications to do with GD as long as you listen and do your best with the diet and if necessary take insulin that is a huge help and your sugars would have to very very high and uncontrolled to have such a sad out come.

you will more than likely depending on baby size and sugar control be induced a little early as well, it will also mean more scan to check baby size and well being and function of the placenta as well.

Do ask them about the A1c test to check how good or bad your blood sugars were over the last 3 months it might just put your mind at ease as the GD could have just kicked in and you were other wise good.

Hope that helps a bit and so sorry about the essay!

 

[ImABeeMummy]

*hug* I know how you feel
I was told to eat fruit because its good for baby, plus it kinda stops the craving for chocolate and all naughty stuff. Its full of sugar, but its natural sugars.
I have sugar free jelly and no added sugar dark chocolate which settles my cravings.

In the first week its really hard. I sat at home crying aswel just wishing I had someone to talk to and it drove me mad. I couldnt stop thinking about chocolate and coke.

It might help if you keep a diary or everything you eat during the day and match that with your sugar reults. Ive been doing that and have noticed that milk is really bad for making my sugars high, but I have to drink it else Im not getting enough calcium?!?

Its crazy sometimes and really can get you down. If you need to talk just PM me
Try not to worry too much, because you dont need the extra stress on you and baby xx

 

[Tanikit]

I have had diabetes for 20 years now and it is very tough especially when pregnant. Hang in there.

Firstly there is a higher risk of stillbirth, but this usually relates to placental problems - they should be monitoring you and doing extra scans and can pick up a problem early enough and they usually induce early anyway which keeps baby safe.

Secondly monitoring sugar levels is an art not a science which means you cannot get it perfect no matter how hard you try, so you need to go very easy on yourself and just do the best you can - there will be times when they are too high and probably times when they are too low also (its usually better for a GD than a type 1 - mione have varied between 0.8mmol/l and 21mmol/l at times this pregnancy - its the average that matters and also how often you can get them in the normal range - it will not be always but as much as possible is best)

Fruit contains fructose which is a sugar and milk contains lactose, also a sugar - however they are more complex sugars than glucose so get broken down slower and so are ok in smallish doses. Certain fruit should be listed on a low GI menu - look them up iof necessary - things likes grapes and watermelon are very very high in sugar and its probably best to stay away from them. Apples tend not to push sugar levels up (in fact when I eat them often my sugars go lower after eating them) I have had very little trouble with any type of berries, peaches or citrus fruit.

Try and take the diabetes one week at a time and not one day at a time as things can fluctuate. Also remember that baby is growing in there and needs varied amounts of glucose him/herself and that also affects the diabetes as do the hormones in pregnancy. Week 20-32 and often all the way to week 36 are the safest weeks for diabetics - your baby will be fine. After that they do need closer monitoring as they start picking up weight and the placenta starts to think about deteriorating.

My last baby was born at 38 weeks and this one will be induced then too to keep her safe - if you are worried ask about earlier induction but at the same time it is safest to wait til 38 or 39 weeks so that the baby is well developed and can breathe by itself. That means you have about 10 weeks to deal with this - it can seem like forever and at the beginnning things can be very rough and you worry a lot, but you will get it right and you'll learn to control it - give yourself time, baby is not in any immediate danger from the high sugar levels yet so its good they caught it now.

 

[CelticNiamh]

Great post Tanikit it even helped me, Ive been obsessing over daily levels when you right its average so weekly is better!

 

[pickles]

Thank you all SO much! I'm not so panicked now.
I've been out and bought loads of fresh stuff, and some fruit. Also sugar free squash as I miss fruit juice.

I've got a little notebook and will write everything down.

Think I may struggle with breakfast as I'm so used to eating toast and cereal in the mornings. Might see what weetabix does to me. Oatibix sent me sky high the other day. Not liking the idea of protein for brekkie, not sure I could stomach it.

 

[CelticNiamh]

Thank you all SO much! I'm not so panicked now.
I've been out and bought loads of fresh stuff, and some fruit. Also sugar free squash as I miss fruit juice.

I've got a little notebook and will write everything down.

Think I may struggle with breakfast as I'm so used to eating toast and cereal in the mornings. Might see what weetabix does to me. Oatibix sent me sky high the other day. Not liking the idea of protein for brekkie, not sure I could stomach it.

Weetabix sends me high but it could be fine for you its all trial and error finding out what suits and what does not!